The Global Dressage Forum North America (GDFNA)** will present their Lifetime Achievement Award to Klaus Balkenhol of Germany at the GDFNA to be held at the Jim Brandon Center in West Palm Beach, FL, on January 28-29, 2013.

Balkenhol is one of the world's foremost educators in dressage and the author of several dressage books. He is a German Olympic champion, winning a team gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and he also coached the U.S. Olympic Team to various international arenas.

Balkenhol has confirmed he will attend the GDFNA to accept the award in person and U.S. Olympic Team rider Steffen Peters will present the award.

The GDFNA Lifetime Dressage Achievement Award will be presented on the second day of the program immediately before the training demonstration by German international trainer, Wolfram Wittig.

Andreas Stano, Executive Director of DressageClinic.com and founder and producer of the Global Dressage Forum North America, said, "We are very happy to be presenting this Lifetime Achievement Award to Klaus Balkenhol. We are also very happy to have Steffen Peters present the award to Klaus. It really is an honor to have both gentlemen in the presence of our audience."

Stano and Florida organizer, Noreen O'Sullivan, Managing Partner of Wellington Classic Dressage, are putting together what is expected to be the highest profile educational gathering ever held in the U.S. and Canada. This dynamic duo will present a program schedule featuring top international dressage professionals from the U.K., Germany, Holland, Denmark and Canada held immediately following the World Dressage Masters CDI5*.

The GDFNA will feature Ingrid Klimke, Steffen Peters, Wolfram Wittig and Rudolf Zeilinger and as they present and demonstrate their theories, philosophies and methods on the training and development of dressage horses and riders.

Additionally, Arthur Kottas will demonstrate work in hand and Bo Jena will demonstrate the double long lines. Dr. Hilary Clayton will explore maintaining soundness in the dressage horse, Dr. Grant Moon, a six-time World Champion farrier, will explain the science of shoeing the competitive dressage horse, and Dr. Ina Gosmeier will discuss natural medicine and acupuncture for the sport horse. Dr. Juan Samper, a leading authority on breeding, will explore the art and science of breeding a dressage horse.

All in all, six clinicians, four lecturers and 12 panelists will be featured in the intense, two-day educational event for every dressage enthusiast. Receptions, shopping opportunities and fun in the sun will also highlight the event.

**The Global Dressage Forum North America is a unique educational forum organized for the betterment of the sport for North American riders and trainers, and is not related to, or affiliated with, the Global Dressage Forum of the Netherlands.